The Date
by CharCorvin
Summary: Hermione's got a date, and Draco is not happy.
1. Dating Draco

"Granger," said Draco Malfoy, strutting into Hermione's room and flopping down onto the bed.

"Come on in," she replied sarcastically. She turned around revealing her normal jeans with a lacy top. Her usually bushy hair was smoothed into ringlets. Malfoy was stunned silent. But, as this was Draco Malfoy, it was only for a moment.

"Are you wearing…_makeup_?" he asked stupidly.

"I've got a date."

His heart broke suddenly, though he had no idea as to why. She couldn't have a boyfriend! Draco wouldn't ever get time with her! Not to mention every time he teased her, there'd be someone around to punch him for it.

"Don't..." he started. Then chickened out. "Didn't think it'd take Weasel this long to realize _you'd_ settle."

"It isn't Ron." She grabbed her jacket and a bag.

"Another poor, pathetic smuck?" he asked. "My, Granger, you do attract them."

"You could say that." Her eyes twinkled. "He isn't very bright either. Jealous?"

"Funny, Granger."

Oh God was he ever jealous! Poor, dumb…but not the Weasel. Potter, maybe? No, he was still dating Little Weasley. Well, who in the hell would date Granger?

Draco paused.

It'd be easier to ask who wouldn't date Granger.

He followed her out of her room, all the way to the entrance hall. He pestered her but she flatly ignored him.

Ginny Weasley stood at the door, she eyed Hermione. Her brown eyes full of excitement.

"Will he be there?" She asked. Then she threw Draco a small nod of recognition.

"Looks like it," smiled Hermione.

"She pulled her jacket off outside, realizing it was a very nice day. Ginny smiled wickedly at Draco.

_Guess someone knows about my crush, _he thought.

"Granger!" She kept walking as he sat down on the steps. Hermione turned at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, and issued a small wave at the figure on the stairs.

Draco sat, staring after her. Did she really have a date? Why did he care that she had a date? Why didn't _he_ have a date!

He stood up to run across the slopes towards the wood. Stopping at the lake to turn around and head back. Finally, he turned again and sprinted after her.

"Eh!" shouted Hagrid after the streak of bond that rushed by. "Malfoy?" Without a thought he released Fang after the boy.

Draco followed quickly after Hermione. He stayed on the opposite side of the river, careful not to step on anything that would alert her attention.

He followed her to a small clearing next the river. A blanket was already laid out. But no one was waiting for her. She sat down and pulled out a book.

_Bloody Granger! Making me worry over her stupid date!_ Malfoy thought from his place across the river. _No one's coming. It's almost sad._

But then, he looked at her. He _really_ looked at her. The way her chestnut hair tickled her pale face. How content she was, just to be out under the sun reading.

That's when he heard the growl behind him.

Fang, not a beast of ferocity, but a beast of great mass lurked behind Malfoy.

"Bloody hell!"

He splashed ungracefully into the water. Fang let out a happy bark and trotted off.

"Took you long enough," said Hermione, not once glancing up from her book.

"Bloody hell, Granger, I'm not your bloody boyfriend." He stood up, unsuccessfully trying to shake the water off himself.

"I know, Malfoy."

"Pity you've been stood up though."

"I have not," Hermione said, thoroughly enjoying the confusion she was causing him. Malfoy looked around, looking for anyone. But nobody was there.

"Pathetic," he mumbled.

"Yeah you are," she pulled out a flask and filled up two glasses.

"Excuse me?" Malfoy roared at her.

"You just got here."

His eyes caught fire.

"You think you're so brilliant don't you!"

"Draco…" she began but he cut her off.

"No! Hermione Granger, the perfect little mudblood princess. She thinks she's so _damn_ special. So _damn_ perfect! Well you aren't, Granger! With your stupid hair, that I just want to touch. Your stupid friends that I'd give anything to be! Your stupid thoughts and words that force their way into my brain! Everything about you is wrong!" He broke off as the tears began rolling down her pale cheeks. "God, Granger. Everything, everything about you is wrong, bad, so flawed. And…" He tried to stop but the words flew out of his mouth. His arms slumped at his sides. "And that might be the most perfect thing of all."

Hermione looked up, her face a mask of anger and unabashed tears.

"I hate you, Draco Malfoy."


	2. Ginny Lends a Hand

Hermione rushed at him, pushing him back into the river.

"Who's the filthy one now?" she screamed at his sopping form.

Confused would be a complete understatement to what Draco was feeling. As he watched her run back towards the castle, a small hand touched his hair. He panicked and threw himself back farther into the water. Ginny Weasley stood on a large stone laughing at him.

"Knew you'd find a way to screw it up. I hope you're happy, finally got what you wanted, haven't you?" she asked, hopping back onto the bank.

"And what's that? I got drenched and I smell like wet dog."

"And here I thought snakes liked water. You got a_ reaction_, Draco. Isn't that what you wanted from her?"

"I don't want anything from _her_," he sputtered out the word with his fakest venom.

"Draco loves Hermione," Ginny sang as she walked away. "You're gonna have to brighten up if you plan to fix this one. She won't be willing to listen anymore."

Ginny turned, her anger flaring as red as her hair.

"Do you know how many times I've listened to her babble on about you? So finally, I convince her to do something about it. She sets up a nice lunch…with my help obviously. And what do you do? You act like yourself."

Ginny marched off, her chin held higher than any Malfoy possibly could.

Draco sat, letting the water rush around him. He'd noticed Hermione had changed, but he only assumed it was the War that caused her stress. She had every reason to be worried about it; her best friends were right in the middle of the fray. And her amazing ability for witchcraft only attracted attention. Draco knew that when the war reached her doorstep, she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. She'd be standing brave and in the middle.

_She's completely barmy,_ he thought to himself. _Something, there has to be something she wants that I can give her._

He glanced back up at Ginny's retreating form. If he was going to show Hermione whose side he was on, he'd need Red.

A fish brushed against his wrist.

"Gah!" He shouted as he splashed down into the water again.


	3. Being a Prat

Draco waited for Ginny Weasley outside the Great Hall. After distracting Crabbe and Goyle with promises of power, he sat behind a statue and waited.

And waited.

And waited….

Finally, she appeared rushing out of the doors and bee lined it for Gryffindor Tower. Malfoy jumped up, and rushed her. He put his hand tightly over Ginny's mouth and pulled her into a broom closet.

She quickly elbowed him in the chest and pushed him to the ground.

"_Lumos_," she whispered. Her wand ignited, revealing a very hurt Draco Malfoy.

"Oh, Gods," she said, helping him up. "I didn't mean to."

Her face became a hard mask again as she reached for the door.

"That'll teach you to grab girls and throw them into closets." She laughed as she rushed out.

"Weasley!" he shouted, following her into the Entrance Hall. "I need your help!"

A group of Gryffindors, including Harry and Ron, turned to face him.

"Did you just come out of that closet with my sister?" Ron shouted.

"Ron, listen," Ginny started, Harry held her hand and pulled her behind him.

"You keep away from her, Malfoy!" Harry pointed his wand at Draco's throat.

"Okay, boys, a few things." Ginny stepped out from behind Harry, she lowered his wand. "First, Harry. Never! EVER! Think that I need your protection." Harry rolled his eyes at her. "And second, Malfoy was just asking for a favor. But since he's blown it for himself, I'll be forced to walk away."

"Ginny, please!" Malfoy dropped to the ground in front of her, reducing the poor girl to a fit of giggles.

"I was just kidding. Now get up before you ruin any more of your pride."

They left for the Lake. Leaving behind a very stunned Ron, and a _very_ upset Harry.

"What do you know about her?" Ginny asked, pulling out a notebook and a quill.

"Nothing." Draco replied honestly.

"Why do you want to date her?" Ginny asked, hoping for a better answer.

"I don't know."

She promptly picked up her bag and started back for the castle. Draco jumped up.

_Is this my curse? _He asked himself. _Chasing after Weasley and Granger for the rest of my life?_

"Ginny, I need your help. You have to tell me what to do so she'll forgive me for…"

"Being you?" Ginny smiled helpfully.

"Yes, being me. Being a complete prat and a jerk." He rubbed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair.

"Well, I suggest you try talking to her."

"And where will I find her?"

"Do I look like a Bloodhound? You have to _look_ for her, Malfoy. A girl like Hermione isn't going to just come screaming after _you_."

Just then, the doors burst open and Hermione came running down the steps.

"Malfoy! There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." Hermione said, pausing to catch her breath.

"Or maybe she will." Ginny said, skipping off toward her next class.


	4. Formus Reflectus

Hermione recovered quickly from the rush of finding him. She sobered when she remembered who she was talking to.

"Snape wants to see you." She rushed of after Ginny.

Draco stood, silently kicking himself for saying absolutely nothing. He trudged wearily back into the castle in search of Snape.

Hermione caught up with Ginny near Gryffindor Tower.

"He wants to try," Ginny said as she noticed the tears in Hermione's eyes.

"I'm sure he does."

"What happened to make you feel this way, anyway?" Ginny asked.

"What? The crying? He's an arse." Hermione said stopping in front of the portrait.

"Password?" Said the Fat Lady.

"Malfoy's an arse!" Hermione said.

"Uh, no…try again." The Fat Lady looked down at her disapprovingly.

"Polyjuice," said Ginny.

The idea struck both girls at the same time.

"If I turn into a cat again I'm going to be seriously upset," Hermione said, as the girls sat down to plot.

"What's going on with them?" Ron asked Harry, while they sat outside under a tree.

"I'm not sure. What's Lavendar said about it? Ginny's been acting pretty weird." Harry picked up a quill and scribbled down an incantation.

"Not a lot. She says they've just been together a lot in the library. And, uh, there's another thing…" Ron trailed off.

"What's that?" Harry asked, uninterested.

"She's been seeing Ginny around a lot...with um…"

"Spit it out."

"Malfoy. Ginny's been with Malfoy."

"EXCUSE ME!"

"We don't have time for a Polyjuice Potion, Ginny. It's too much time. Draco could find another girl by then." Hermione poured over more and more books looking for an Instant Recipe.

"You know, we'll have to explain something to Harry. If this all goes as planned I mean. What's he going to think? His girlfriend running around with Draco Malfoy. Poor kid would be heartbroken." Ginny walked away to find another book.

"Find anything interesting, Granger." Drawled a cold voice behind her.

She ignored him.

"Hey, Mudblood!"

Hermione could hear the shuffle of feet behind her; she braced herself as her chair was whipped around. She glared up at Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle…and Pansy.

_Apparently we're already out of time_, Hermione thought.

"Honestly, the whole castle could cave in before she'd pull herself out of those books." Draco mocked her.

Hermione's blood began to boil as Pansy draped an arm around Draco's waist. Pain flashed through his eyes as he watched Hermione. Instead of witnessing the hurt he wished he'd seen, she merely looked bored.

"If you don't mind, Malfoy, I've got things to do." Hermione turned herself around and picked up another book.

"I've found something," Ginny said as she reappeared from behind a shelf. "Oh, Malfoy. Hi."

"Weasley." Malfoy said, nearing polite.

"Why are you being nice to _her?_" Pansy said, pulling Draco closer.

"Well, she is a Pureblood. Come on," he said, walking away. "They're no fun."

"There's no point now, Gin. He's clearly back with Pansy."

"Yeah, because that wasn't a ploy to drive you insane at all, was it?" Ginny said, pushing the book in front of Hermione.

_"Formus Reflectus,"_ Hermione read out of the book. "_This incantation allows any two people to switch physical forms until the counter spell is spoken."_

Hermione looked up smiling.

"I think this just might work."

Harry tore up the slopes back towards the castle, Ron was fast on his heels.

"Wait a minute, mate!" Ron yelled. "You may not know the whole story!"

"I know what I need to know."

"Harry! Wait, I'm wrong. Uh, it wasn't Ginny at all. I bet it was that new girl with the red hair," Ron froze as Harry stopped on the steps. "Oy! Lavendar's always getting her gossip mixed about, that's it! It wasn't Ginny. Ginny's been with Hermione remember?"

Harry turned around slowly. Ron let out a breath as his coup had worked.

"You're a terrible liar, Ron."

"So, this is the plan. We'll switch every few days and you can go be me with Malfoy, while I hide in the library pretending to be you." Ginny asked Hermione.

"Right, it'll give me time to get to know him more, without him knowing that it's me."

"And we'll tell Harry and Ron, before anything goes sour, right?"

"Right, the next time we see them, we'll tell them." Hermione agreed.

"Wait, if Draco likes you…but you look like me. What if he thinks he's falling for the real _me_?" Ginny asked.

"Well, uh. He won't. He won't find out the truth. I just want to get to know him, then we'll switch back, and I'll know best how to act. I just have to make him think that I, Ginny, am helping him win you, Hermione." Hermione said, confusing herself.

"All those library hours are going to kill me, don't you think?"

"Ginny, you must be brave." Hermione laughed.

Her laughter lasted only a moment, as Harry and Ron appeared in the library.

"Ginny, can I speak with you?" Harry said. He didn't mean to sound so angry with her, well…he did. But all he really wanted was an explanation.

"Sure, Harry. What's the matter?" She asked as he pulled her behind a shelf.

"It's just…uh, I wanted to know something. There's been talk, about you and Malfoy, being seen together. I just wanted to know…uh, is there something going on?"

Ginny laughed. As she saw the panic sweep across Harry's face she stopped instantly.

"No! Harry, nothing is going on with me and Malfoy."

"But, he was asking for your help, then you went off onto the grounds with him…"

"I know, I'm so sorry, Harry. For what that must of felt like. But he does need my help." Ginny grabbed his large hand in her small one. "Two of my friends need help, and I wouldn't feel right if I didn't try everything I can to help them."

"Two? Who's the other one?" Harry asked.

"Don't worry, please? I need you to trust me. I'm going to explain everything when this works out, at least, if it works out. But Harry, you're going to be seeing me with Malfoy a lot more than usual…" she trailed off as Harry had a minor heart attack.

"What!"

"I mean! Wait, you can't understand yet. It's just don't worry about anything. It isn't me exactly…we'll it will be, but it won't. Can you please just trust me?"

"Yes, Ginny. I'm going to trust you enough to throw you to the snakes!"

"I can handle myself! I'm not going anywhere near the snakes!"

"You just said you were!"

"It's not me!"

"You said it was!"

"Harry, please. Please, just this one time. Let. It. Go." She closed her eyes and tightened her jaw, just for effect.

"Be careful. I don't think Malfoy can be trusted, Ginny."

"I think Potter's right," drawled a voice behind the both of them.


	5. Worth the Risk

"Smart girl you've got there, Potter." Malfoy leaned casually against a bookshelf.

"I agree," Harry stood up protectively in front of Ginny.

"Alright boys, this has been fun but Harry," she said pointedly. "You've got things to do. I've got things to do. So we'll meet up later and do...stuff."

Malfoy struggled to repress a laugh.

"Just out of _curiosity _what exactly is Ginny helping you with?" Harry asked ignoring both of them.

"As a matter of fact, she's helping me with Her—"

"HERKEYS!" Ginny called out, elbowing Malfoy in the ribs.

"Herkeys?" Harry asked.

"Hickeys!" Ginny clarified before turning bright red.

"Hickeys," Harry repeated dumbfounded.

"Forget it. I'm helping Malfoy, and that's what it is. Accept it." Ginny looked deeply at Harry before kissing him. Harry returned her gaze then narrowed his eyes at Malfoy.

"If you hurt Ginny, I'll kill you."

"If I hurt her, I'll let you," Malfoy said.

Both Malfoy and Ginny knew which _her_ they were talking about.

"So, Hermione," said Ron sitting down at the library table. "What's been happening lately?"

"I think _Lavendar_ would have told you all about it." Hermione shifted through her notes, carefully hiding the page marked _Formus Reflectus._

"Okay, I deserve that. But listen, I like her a lot. True, at the beginning it was to annoy you, but I do care about her. I wish you'd find someone who made you that happy, Hermione."

She looked over her shoulder at Ginny and Draco whispering carefully.

"I will, Ron, someday I will."

"So, what's the master plan? How can I get her?" Malfoy asked leaning towards Ginny.

"Uh, good question…" Ginny trailed off thinking hard of Hermione's schedule versus her own. "The lake. I'll meet you at the lake tomorrow at two. It's a Hogsmeade weekend so everyone will be out."

"Who's Hermione going to Hogsmeade with?" Draco asked, afraid of the answer.

"I don't think she is, which'll work out nicely. We'll meet then you can find her afterwards."

"Ginny, she won't even talk to me."

"What did you expect, showing up with Parkinson drooling all over you? Did you expect her to throw herself at you in front of Crabbe and Goyle or what?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, no. I forgot about them!" Malfoy gave Ginny a quick peck on the cheek for her patience then hauled off towards the dungeons.

Hermione looked up from her book as Ginny returned.

"Tomorrow, two. Me, library. You, tree."

"This spell had better work." Hermione replied before gathering up her things. "Ginny, I'm scared."

"What? After all this? You can't be scared!" Ginny yelled out, earning a glance from Madam Pince as they departed.

"I'm scared because, well…you know when you want something really bad and then you get it, and it turns out it isn't that great." Hermione looked down ashamed. "What if that happens?"

The girls entered the common room.

"Hermione, what if this turns out to be something magnificent. Draco Malfoy has made serious changes to get your attention. Isn't that worth the risk? The child of Death Eaters, turned good? What if Draco Malfoy is the One? Isn't _he_ worth the risk?"

"You certainly are wise beyond your years, Ginny."

"Sometimes," Ginny said, staring lovingly at Harry. "It's worth the wait, and the risk."


	6. Not So Slytherin

Ginny woke up early and clamored down to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione sat with Harry and Ron, staring absentmindedly out the window while the boys argued about Quidditch.

"That's not really the point, Ron, if Grawnski wasn't so fast…" Harry trailed off after a good look at his sleepy girlfriend. She plopped down behind him and rested her head on his back. "Hey, you."

"Hiya," she replied. "Everything okay, Hermione?"

"Sure," Hermione answered, craning her neck further towards the window.

"Just go see if he's there," Ginny mumbled laughing.

"_He's_ been there for an hour," Harry cut in.

"You're going to have to explain this Hermione. The kid tortured you for the better part of five years, and you're just going to go snog him in return?" Ron asked, joining her by the window.

"It's not like that, Ron. When I was in kindergarten…that's like a school," she clarified at his cluelessness. "My mom told me that boys make fun of girls they like."

"Or just ignore their feelings," Ron said, looking ashamed.

"You told me last night that I should find something that makes me as happy and Lavender makes you…and I never thought I would say this, but I think Draco Malfoy is that something."

She watched him sitting by the tree. It was only noon, they're meeting wasn't for another two hours, yet there he sat. Watching, waiting, hoping that Ginny would come early. Hermione saw Crabbe,Goyle and Blaise approach the tree. She sat up, interested in Mafoy's welfare, but relaxed as he greeted the trio warmly.

"I have to try it. And if it doesn't work out then it doesn't." Hermione said, completely level-headed.

"Ron!" Yelled a voice from the portrait hole.

Lavender wandered in, skipping towards her boyfriend.

"Hey, Hermione. I'm really happy to hear about you and Draco," she said sweetly.

Hermione threw Ron a scathing look.

"As it turns out, gossip is one of those things that rub off on others."

"Draco," Crabbe said sitting down next to the blond.

"We're a bit concerned," Goyle continued.

"What is it boys?" Draco expected this. Crabbe and Goyle may look like thuggish brutes but they were smart, sneaky, and worst of all…intuitive. And Blaise, well, Blaise could read Draco like a book.

"Now, I'm going to say this in the nicest possible way, Draco," Crabbe began. "We're worried about what you're doing."

"And what's that?" Draco asked, becoming a bit defensive. "What am I doing?"

"The Weasley girl," Goyle clarified. "What's going on with you two?"

"She's helping me out with something," Draco said. "It isn't a concern to you."

"Well, a girlfriend would concern us. All Pansy does now is talk about you. All she does is ask about you!" Blaise said. "_There is only so much Pansy we can take_."

"I'm sorry, guys," Draco said laughing, and he meant it. "This one, she isn't like Pansy. She's amazing."

"She has a boyfriend!" Goyle said, revealing a rarely seen moral.

"She doesn't!" Draco said concerned.

"Yeah, she does!" Crabbe became feisty.

"Hermione does not have a boyfriend!" Draco punched him lightly in the arm.

"_Hermione?_" Crabbe and Goyle asked together. Blaise smilied.

"It's about that time," Ginny said, looking as though she were going off to battle. Which in a way she was. The library hours were going to drive her insane. "We have to plan this out carefully. Ron and Harry will have to stay with me, incase anyone starts asking questions."

"Not gonna happen," Ron said.

"Out," said Harry.

"You can't say 'out', what in the world do you have to be doing?" Ginny asked, glaring daggers at Harry.

"Hogsmeade…Lavendar..whipped," Ron stuttered out before escaping through the portrait hole.

"I was gonna…" He caught a look at her iced brown eyes. "Quidditch can wait; I'm going to the library."

Ginny smiled wickedly.

"Here we go," said Hermione, looking a bit green.

The two girls sat across from each other on a table in a deserted classroom. A piece of paper, to Madam Pince's horror, torn out of a library book, lay between them. It was Harry's turn to stare out the window at the blond boy who sat with his three friends. He'd wished he'd remembered the Extendable Ears, if there was any conversation worth listening in on, it would be the one between Malfoy and his thugs. He glanced back at Ginny, feeling a sense of pride.

He'd watched her grow up from a girl of eleven into a, not a woman, but an older girl of fifteen. She sat with her best friend, plotting out a _relationship_ really. He remembered how she waited for him. It took her ages to finally have the nerve to speak to him, let alone admit her feelings. Not that he didn't already know.

But he was Harry Potter. He had more things to worry about than a crush from his best mate's little sister. But after the Chamber, and after the Ministry, he couldn't deny her feelings any longer, or his own. He remembered vividly the night he'd told her. She was stunned silent again, then went off into uncontrollable babbling about how he was in fact Harry Potter, and had much more important things to worry about than her. He remembered silencing her with a kiss, and telling her that nothing, to him, was more important than Ginny Weasley.

So he took a good long look at her, before realizing that the spell was done and he was actually looking at Hermione Granger in Ginny Weasley's body, he cringed slightly.

"You're late!" Hermione said to Ginny, before rushing her out the door.

"You like Hermione Granger," Crabbe had repeated the mantra, pretending that hearing it more would make it more believable. It wasn't working.

"You did make fun of her a lot," Goyle chimed in, also soaking up the information.

"You guys don't understand."

"Right, you're the only one who has feelings for anyone, Draco," Blaise laughed to himself.

"What are you trying to say?" Draco narrowed his eyes.

"This whole 'don't date people from other houses' is complete lunacy!" Blaise stood up. Malfoy had a feeling he wasn't as alone as he thought.

"Blaise, I think Crabbe and Goyle can only handle one revelation per day, thanks," Malfoy stood up, putting his arms on Blaise's shoulders.

Blaise stopped pacing, but looked desperately up at Draco.

"I don't wanna ignore her anymore, Draco," Blaise said, bordering on lunacy himself. "I feel horrible, walking right past her in the halls. She's always been so nice, and just 'cuz I'm in stupid _Slytherin, _I have to be a prat."

"I know," Draco agreed.

"Snakes and birds," Blaise said laughing. "Snakes and birds will never work."

"Then be a bird," Draco said smirking.

Hermione walked across the lawn, playing with her new red hair. _I have to be Ginny,_ she thought. _How does Ginny walk?_ All the things shenever noticedseemed crucial at this point. Malfoy would recognize a change if Ginny suddenly went from a firecracker to a book worm. She repeated the list of questions she had for Draco. She flipped her hair back the way she'd seen Ginny do it. She smiled cruelly at the boys that stared at her, enjoying the fact that all eyes were on her. She sidled up to the group of Slytherins.

"Great! Let's all start dating other houses! You know, Sprout was looking spellbinding today in Herbology." Goyle said rolling his eyes.

"McGonagall was ravishing in those _red_ robes," Crabbe agreed laughing.

There was a sound of a throat being cleared.

Ginny Weasley stood looking at the four of them.

"Hi, Draco."


	7. Being Ginny

"I believe that is our cue to leave," said Goyle rising to his feet.

"Now that I think about it, you know, I do think I saw a lion and a snake together, sleeping or something," Crabbe said.

"Lion and a lamb, you oaf," Blaise laughed.

"Well, as for your predicatment, I have seen an eagle and a snake together, I think the snake was being eaten." Crabbe said, thinking seriously.

"That's the flag of Mexico." Blaise threw a look at the Ravenclaw's by the lake. "Well boy, I have some flying to do."

"Snakes can't fly!" Goyle hollered after him.

"Lovely friends you've got," Ginny said, sitting down next to Malfoy. Inside, Hermione wished she could sit closer, but as she didn't want to give herself away…

"They're alright. A bit rough around the edges. You know, us Slytherin's aren't as bad as everyone thinks. One rotten egg spoils them all." Malfoy said. "But I do believe it's your friend in question."

"Very true," Ginny fiddled with the grass. "What would you like to know?"

"You okay, Weasley?" Malfoy asked, noting her straight posture and eloquence.

"Just, uh," Hermione filed through her brain, working out different Ginnyish problems. "It's just Harry, no need to worry. He'll figure it out eventually."

"He's a bloody git if he can't realize how great you are."

"Right, anyway. We're talking about me, here."

"You?"

"Sorry…Hermione, it's a nickname…Mi. You know." Blabbling seemed to sound very much like Ginny.

"Oh Gods," Malfoy said lowly.

"No, it's not a serious nickname, just something…"

A shrill voice echoed off the shore.

"Drakie-poo!"

"Time to go," Draco seized Ginny's arm and hauled off towards the castle.

"Where do you suppose they're off to?" A Ravenclaw by the name of Judy asked Luna.

"Plotting," said Luna, unphased by the odd couple.

"Hey, Luna," Blaise approached the group, with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

"Hi, Blaise."

"Can, I, uh, talk to you for a minute." He said, obviously uncomfortable.

"No." she said, still oblivious.

Blaise looked back atCrabbe and Goyle for help, they both just shrugged.

"I really need to talk to you, Luna." He motioned for them to move away.

"I think he's flirting," Judy said.

"Oh!" Luna caught on. "Are you flirting with me, Blaise? See, you kept ignoring me...I assumed I was nothing to you."

Blaise squeezed his eyes tightly, then turned to Crabbe and Goyle again, both of whom were gone.

Ginny and Dracoran up towards the Head's dorm that Hermione and Draco shared. Stopping at the portrait, both out of breath, Ginny muttered, "Felix".

"How did you know the password?" Malfoy asked.

"Hermione told me," Ginny covered quickly, walking through the portrait. "Now, I don't have much time. So what do you need to know, or what do you have to tell me? I mean, what'll make this work?"

"Slow down there, Weasley. I just wanna get to know her. I mean, we all know thatGranger is brilliant, but I have the feeling there's a lot more to her. I want to know everything about her. It's just; I've been with Pansy for so long. It's not that I'm bored and using Granger as rebound. I truly care about her. How crazy is that! I don't even know the girl but somehow she keeps worming her way into my dreams. I told her, I told her everything I felt the other day. About wanting to be with her, and all she did was tell me she hates me."

"She doesn't hate you, Malfoy," Ginny said, tearing up slightly. "Quite the opposite."

She stood up and began advancing toward him.

"Uh, Weasley?" Draco said, confused.

"Alright, I'm going to get Hermione up here to talk to you, okay? Just, don't screw anything up." Ginny sped off, out the portrait and out of sight.

"Oh yes, I'm not totally screwed at all, the witch hates me and now Weasley wants to lock me in a room with her."

"Ginny!" Ginny yelled tearing around the corner. The sight that greeted her was not welcome.

Harry, apparently, had disappeared. Leaving Ginny to her own devices.

Her feet were propped up on the table, a forgotten book in her lap. She was twirling her hair and beaming a 100-watt smile at the nearest boy…McLaggen.

"Oh, _Hermione…_" Ginny said, grabbing her and hauling her up.

"I'll talk to ya later," she smiled flirtatiously once more.

"Oh, you're so dead," Ginny said pulling Hermione out of the library.


	8. Running Away

"Harry would kill you if he knew you were flirting with _him,_" Hermione turned back into herself and faced a giggling Ginny.

"Bye, Hermione!" said McLaggen, clearly smitten.

"Come on, the look on his face when he thought Bookworm Granger was being flirty," Ginny caught the look on Hermione's own face. "It was horrible, his eyes all welled up. Just awful."

"Draco wants me to meet him in our common room." Hermione said seriously.

"And will you be going?" Ginny asked, seeing uncertainty flash through Hermione's eyes.

"No," Hermione looked at her clothes. Sneakers, jeans and a black hoodie. "I'm gonna go for a run."

"Hermione! It's raining!" Ginny yelled after her. "Oh, Gods."

Ginny took off toward the Heads common room.

"Malfoy! Malfoy," Ginny yelled outside of the portrait. He poked his head out.

"You know the password, Weasley."

"I do not…" She paused, realizing what Hermione did. "Oh, yeah I do. Well, it's open now. Uh, you need to go on the grounds."

"Where's Hermione? Shouldn't she be with you?"

"I might have lost her."

"Lost her?" Malfoy repeated.

"Maybe."

"Where did you lose her," Malfoy said rolling his eyes.

"She went for a run…on the grounds. Somewhere." Ginny smiled, hoping to distract him.

"Then I'll be going for a run," Malfoy said.

"You can't catch her!" Ginny yelled after him. "When are people gonna stop running away from me!"

"Hey, Ginny," McLaggen appeared at her shoulder.

"Gah!"

Draco paused on the front steps, looking for any sign of movement. There wasn't any. He took the path towards the Herbology greenhouses, a familiar running ground for Quidditch, but no Hermione. He never knew that she liked to run, but he had noticed her lithe frame and long legs. The grounds were becoming darker as a storm moved in, bringing back more rain. He tried to remember what she'd been wearing the last time he'd seen her.

"Damn black," he said quietly.

"Oiy! Hermione!" he heard Hagrid's gruff voice boom over the grounds. He turned, catching her silhouette by the lake. The moment she knew he saw her, she bolted towards the forest. He turned, sprinting quickly after her, but not quick enough.

_Crash!_

Rain pounded on the grounds, turning everything to mud. Draco fought to keep his footing while he followed Hermione's footprints.

"Please, Hermione!" he called but she wouldn't stop. "I need to talk to you." He paused for breath. "I have to explain! I have to talk to you."

"I'm done talking to you." She called over her shoulder, only slightly out of breath.

Draco gasped for precious air. "Well that'll work out great then, I'm the one who has to talk to you! You were mad about what I said the other day. All I was saying were nice things about you! I called you perfect." He gasped again.

"Stupid Quidditch, making me think I was in shape." He mumbled to himself. He looked up; realizing that he'd lost her again. He searched the ground for her prints but there weren't any. He panicked and turned around.

She was standing by a tree.

"You're a lousy runner."

"I know."

"You didn't call me perfect."

"I bloody well did too!" Draco sat ungracefully in the mud. Waiting for the fire in his lungs to abate.

"You said I had stupid hair, and stupid friends, and stupid thoughts."

"What? No! Well," he thought. "Yeah, I guess I did say that. But I also said I wanted to touch your stupid hair, be your stupid friends and that your stupid thoughts made me like you even more! And I did call you perfect."

"Well, I'm not."

Draco stood up slowly, knowing that his future with this soaking wet witch depended on his next moves. He walked towards her and carefully brushed away a strand of hair from her wet face. He realized, as her warm tears blended with the cold rain, that she was crying. "Please don't," he said.

"Please don't what?" she asked, crying harder.

"Please don't hate me."

He moved slowly, bringing his face closer to hers. He brushed his nose over hers, before lightly touching her lips with his own. Her breath caught, not expecting such a spark. She pulled away, afraid of what could happen. He leaned his wet forehead against hers. "Please don't hate me."

Neither of them spoke as they headed back towards the castle. As soon as they hit open ground Draco pulled ahead, hoping to beat her. She whizzed by him, and stood waiting for him at the door. He laughed, feeling embarrassed. They walked to their common room.

A figure stood in the entrance hall. It sniffled slightly, then coughed.

Pansy Parkinson sidled out from the shadows, revenge was the only thing on her mind.


	9. Love Potion 15

Draco walked to the Great Hall for breakfast with a smile on his face. He plopped down between Goyle and Blaise and began piling food on his plate.

"Little peckish?" Blaise asked watching him.

"God, this food is great," Malfoy took a big bite of pancakes. "Hey!" he said through the food. "How'd it go with you and uh, the bird?"

"You don't need to use code, Malfoy," Blaise looked down.

"She blew him off," Crabbe said, smiling.

"Hey! There is no need for that," Blaise laughed sadly. "I just don't know what to do."

"Well, from experience, I'd say you have to go get her," Malfoy said.

An unwelcome figure approached the table.

"Hi, Draco," said Pansy, leaning over him to kiss him on the cheek.

"Uh, Pansy." He tried to pry her off. "I'm trying to eat."

She giggled girlishly and played with her long black hair, her elbow knocked into Draco's plate, but she caught. Draco took another bite of pancakes.

"Well, I'll see you later, Draco." She stalked off.

"Honestly," said Draco, not phased by Pansy's departure. "You just have to go talk to her. Tell her how you feel. You know," a gleam went through his silver eyes. "I'm gonna go tell her how I feel!"

"Hermione knows how you feel, Draco," said Blaise.

"Hermi-, what? The mudblood? What would I want her for?" Blaise saw the darkness in Draco's pale orbs.

"What's gotten into you, man?" He reached for his friends shoulder.

"Back off, Zabini! I'm gonna get her."

Hermione walked over to the Slytherin table, smiling cheerfully.

"Hey, Draco." She said.

"Mudblood," he stood up and pushed past her. "God, I love her so much. I've been so blind."

"Who, Draco?" Blaise asked, concerned.

"Pansy of course! I have to tell her I'm sorry, I've been such a prat."

Hermione paled. Crabbe and Goyle gave equal looks of shock. Blaise looked down at the plate of unfinished pancakes.

"Hermione," Blaise started but she'd already ran off. "Oh, balls."

Hermione ran to the only place she knew she would be alone. She prodded a knot at the base of the Whomping Willow and clamored into the secret tunnel. Running as fast as she could, she exploded into the Shrieking Shack. Immediately collapsing onto the bed in a fit of sobs.

"Hey, Potter?" Blaise approached Harry carefully in double Potions.

Harry's eyes narrowed at the turn of events.

"I need some help, see. It's about Hermione."

"Do you know where she is?" Ron interrupted.

"No, I don't know. She ran off after Malfoy took off after _her_." He threw a disgusted look in the corner where Malfoy and Pansy were tangled around each other.

"If that was all just a game to Malfoy, I swear I'll…" Harry stood up facing Blaise.

"Sit down, Potter!" Snape yelled from the front of the classroom.

Both Blaise and Harry sat quickly.

"It wasn't. He really cares about her."

"Funny way of showing it," Ron snapped.

"That's just it. I'm not sure, but I think Pansy slipped him a potion, Love Potion actually." Blaise gave Ron a hard look. "Maybe a Weasley product."

Harry opened his potions book to a chapter on Love Potions. Snape, interested in their hushed whispering, stalked towards the boys. He snatched the book from Harry.

"Now, now, Potter." He sneered. "This is a bit desperate, even for you."

Malfoy laughed loudly, coming up for air just in time to hear Snapemock Harry.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape said smoothly.

Blaise and Harry had made a deal to meet out on the grounds at their next break to discuss the predicament. Harry came armed with Ginny and Ron, just in case. He wasn't surprised to see Crabbe and Goyle with the Slytherin.

"They're here to help, Potter. I know how ridiculous this sounds, but we were really happy for Draco and Hermione, see? She made him happy, and with a life like Malfoy's got, happy is something he should get."

"How am I supposed to believe that you'd be happy that Draco found someone," Harry asked defensivly.

"Trust him, Harry," Ginny said, holding his hand. "Blaise is in the same boat right now."

"How do you know about that?" Blaise asked seriously.

"You have to show her how you feel." Ginny smiled.

"We're not talking about you and Luna right now…" Goyle said.

Both Ron and Harry coughed loudly.

"Draco's seriously in trouble. Those Love Potions are nasty pieces of work. If she keeps giving it to him, not only will he lose Hermione, he could lose himself." Goyle finished.

"How do we stop it?" Ron asked.

"Get to the library and find out everything you can. Ron, find out what exactly Pansy bought from your brothers. If we know what we're dealing with, we'll know how to stop it."

"And what are you going to do?" Ginny asked Blaise.

"We'll find Hermione."

Hermione wiped her eyes and sat up from the couch. Her clothes were filthy with dust but she didn't care. Draco was in love with Pansy. After everything she'd gone through and put up with for him, he'd turned around and done the one thing she feared. She began walking back toward the entrance of the tunnel. There were muffled voices above her.

"You're sure this is where she went, Luna?"

"You asked, I told you. She won't be very happy you interrupted her though, not happy at all."

"We're trying to help out," Hermione recognized Blaise's voice.

"More worried about Hermione, huh? Shocking."

"I want to worry about us."

"There is no us. You're too proud for there to be an us."

"I just have a lot of stuff to worry about right now!"

"If Draco and Hermione get all this figured out, and you ditch me…" Luna said threateningly.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise."

The tree froze and Blaise tumbled to Hermione's feet.

"Why don't you look happy to see me?"

"So, they gave her a really strong Love Potion. Best money could buy actually. Won't wear off until she wants it to, and by the look of them," Ron threw a look at the two in the library. "That won't be any time soon."

"Is there an antidote?" Ginny asked, leafing through books.

"They wouldn't tell me. They said they keep everything confidential."

Ginny stood up, and stormed off.

"We'll see about that."

"She's right scary when she's mad." Ron said, watching his retreating sister.

"She'll get the mickey out of them." Harry said, approvingly.

"He's taken a Love Potion," Blaised yelled out quickly as Hermione raised her wand.

"What?"

"Pansy gave him a Love Potion! She bought it from the Weasley's! He didn't know. He was going to find you when she slimed up and 'spilled' his pancakes!" Blaise spoke quickly, knowing he was running out of time.

"He likes pancakes?"

"Don't hex- what? Yeah, he likes pancakes."

Hermione broke into tears again.

"I _love_ pancakes," she allowed Blaise to put his arm around her and help her out of the tunnel.

_Girls are so weird,_ he thought.

Ten minutes later, Ginny reappeared in the library. Although Fred and George were a good two heads taller than her, she pulled them in by their ears.

"I swear if you become any more like mother…" George started.

"Let go, let go, let go!" Fred yelled.

"Tell us everything about the Love Potion you gave Parkinson." Ron said.

"Confidental information, little brother." Ginny twisted Fred's ear.

"Love Potion number 15! Won't wear off until she wants it to! You can stop it without her consent if you get him to swallow unicorn hair!" he screamed.

She let go.

"Thanks," Ginny took off towards the grounds.

After sneaking to Hagrid's cabin and retrieving a strand of hair she reappeared at the library table. Apparently, Harry had filled them in on the Draco/Hermione front because they were wearing identical looks of shock.

"So, all we need to do is find Hermione."

"Got her," said Blaise from the entrance of the library. "She was in the Shrieking Shack. She's all game though."

A hand came crashing down on Blaise's shoulder and threw him into a chair.

"What are you playing at?" Malfoy yelled at him.

"What's the matter with you, mate?"

"You're ruining everything. Pansy and I have a chance, Zabini! Leave it alone! I'm happy with her!" The dark cloud had taken over his silver eyes. "I'm warning you, get your nose out of it or you'll be sorry!" He raised his wand.

"I'm really sorry about this, Malfoy," Hermione said.

"Don't you talk to me, you filthy little mudblood!"

"_Stupify!"_


	10. What Could Have Been

"He's a good man, he's a good man, he's a good man." Hermione repeated over and over, hoping to rid herself of the feeling.

It was almost as if she'd used a Time-Turner and gone back to second year. She was just _mudblood_ to him again. She concentrated on the fact that Malfoy was acting under another influence, but the words cut her just the same. What if the potion had somehow altered him? Making him turn back to the way he was? The way he had been…cold, cruel, uncaring…not the Draco she loved today.

"The ropes are gonna have to be a lot tighter than that, Harry." Ron said, pointed to the bindings on Malfoy's wrist. They'd taken his wand but he was still dangerous.

"Love makes you do curious things, don't it?" Fred threw a meaningful gaze at Hermione.

"It does," she agreed quietly, returning to her tiresome task of staring out the window. Ginny approached her.

"It's for the best, you know. It was really brave of you to stupefy him like that."

"It'll have just made him angrier. Being attacked by _mudblood_ Granger must be somewhere up there with running over your own mother to the Malfoy's."

"He's not really a Malfoy anymore though is he? I doubt his father would be happy to hear of his feelings."

"I don't care. I just want him to be back. A Love Potion isn't fair. Only true love is."

"We're ready," said Harry from across the room. "_Innervate._"

Malfoy woke up, looking viciously around.

"I'll kill her! Teach her to curse me, bloody Granger!" He spotted her. "Get your mudblood self over here and pay for what you've done."

Hermione began crying silently.

"Filthy tears won't save you now!"

"Funny, I thought you were the one all tied up," said Ron, defending Hermione. She gave him a nod of gratitude.

"Where's Pansy?"

The question broke Hermione's heart.

"We're going to mention something," whispered Fred to Hermione. "Unicorn hair is pure. As soon as Draco swallows it, all his feelings are going to be pure."

"He's going to be pure," George offered.

"Meaning, if he's purely a git, then that's what you'll get."

"Do you want to be around for this?" George asked, nearing seriousness.

"You mean…if he's not meant to be with me…I'll find that out?"

"He's not going to remember what he said. He won't remember anything from the time it touches his tongue to the moment he wakes up again. It's damn powerful, unicorn hair." Fred said.

"So I'll know how he truly feels? When he wakes up, or after he eats it?"

"After." George looked down.

"Hermione," Fred rushed, seeing Harry and Goyle approaching Malfoy. "You have to decide to leave now. He's gonna start spurting off everything. It's worse than Veritaserum. Do. You. Want. To. Know."

"Get away from me, Scar head!" Malfoy shouted. "Goyle! Get him! What are you doing? Let go of me! Let go of my head! Listen to me," Malfoy became more scared than angry. "Please! Please don't make me! I don't want to! Don't! Pansy! Please, help me."

Goyle held open his mouth. Harry dropped the hair. Goyle closed his mouth, forcing him to swallow.

Hermione ran.

Malfoy coughed and sputtered until the hair dissolved on his tongue.

"What did you do!" he demanded. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"

Ginny clasped Harry's hand in her own small one. Draco's eyes took on their normal silver sheen.

"Hermione," he said dreamily. "I gotta find her. Blaise!" He spotted Blaise loitering near the door. "Get her! After her, I gotta…wait..I…gotta…Blaise..."

He began losing focus. The blood drained from his head. His tongue was too big for his mouth. Was this dying?

"She's, she'll…Hermione…she…" His head fell sideways. "Please don't hate me."

No one spoke. Allegiances were broken. A once-proud Slytherin lay broken. Crabbe sat in the corner, next to Fred and George, all three had their hands folded solemnly in front of them. Blaise held a crying Ravenclaw. Ginny watched quietly as both Ron and Harry shook hands with Goyle. Once firm lines were shattered by love. The love the broken boy had for his Gryffindor princess. But she wasn't there to hear his love, so pure. She had taken the easy road. It's more difficult to wait for bad news than to listen to good. So she had run.

She hadn't gotten far when she ran straight into Dumbledore.

"Sorry," she said, turning around.

"Erm, Miss Granger?" he asked politely. "May I have a word?"

She followed slightly behind him.

"I will not pretend to know everything. But as I have witnessed you running through my school on multiple occasions, I would like to know the cause of your excitement."

"Just a…thing."

"A thing? Hmm, does this have anything to do with a certain Draco Malfoy?"

Hermione tripped.

"No, why?" she asked standing up, hoping he hadn't noticed.

"I won't pretend to be surprised. It was only a matter of time before he realized his tormenting of you was more than fun. Mr. Malfoy is not unique in this regard. Boys always tease the girl they fancy," he trailed off as McGonagall approached. "Nice hat, professor," he said, his eyes glinting.

Hermione rolled her own.

"I just hope, in your case anyway, you have the decency to return his feelings." He said, a bit loudly.

"Why would that be, sir?"

"The war is coming, Miss Granger. Draco does not wish to follow his father, nor do any of the boys that have so graciously helped you. They are not followers. You thought Mr. Goyle and Mr. Crabbe were just pawns of Draco's. But now you see, you see that there is a light in the dark. Do not, Miss Granger, ignore the light."

He turned to walk away, but tripped over a walking stick on the ground. Hermione recognized it as McGonagall's.

She ran back to the school room.

It was empty.

She found all of them helping Blaise, Goyle and Crabbe sneaking Malfoy back to his own bed. Fred and George saw her approach and left after a quick goodnight. Luna wandered off and Blaise, after realizing this, tore off after her. Harry and Ginny gave a quick goodnight and went towards Gryffindor Tower, Ron followed soon after. Hermione was left with Crabbe, Goyle and a sleeping Malfoy.

"I want to thank you both," Hermione said quietly. "For everything, I mean. Understanding too."

"Understanding?"

"Malfoy, I mean. Understanding his feelings for me." She clarified.

"We're never going to pretend to understand that. We've known the kid forever; he's never fallen this hard. We know you're angry about everything, but don't hit him again. I think enough of his prides been hurt."

They put Malfoy on his bed.

"Hey, Granger," said Goyle, waiting by the door as Crabbe wandered to his own room.

"Yeah?" She looked up.

"You're alright," he said.

"Thanks, Gregory."

"Well, you've made a right mess of things, haven't you?" Hermione asked, brushing a lock of silver hair out of Draco's eyes. He quieted under her touch. "What are you going to do, Draco? Will you stand and fight, or follow? I want to know. I want to know now, not wait until the sirens of war ring out. You teased and tortured me for years. I realize now, maybe it was more of a warning than a threat."

She broke off as she began crying.

"You called me a mudblood, warning me that I was an enemy of the heir. That worked out in my favor. Even when you jinxed my teeth, they came in straight. I'd like to pretend you weren't really a fowl, evil git…but what if I'm wrong?

"What if they're all lying? I think this might be a ploy to get me to trust you, so you can just hand Harry and everyone right over to Voldemort. But then you look at me, with your beautiful eyes. And I think that you really care."

She leaned close, placing a soft kiss on his lips.

"I will find out someday, Draco. But until then, I'll just have to wonder what could have been."


	11. Lay Me To Sleep

This awesome song is A.F.I. Prelude 12/21. It's the song that plays right before the Miss Murder video. It makes me sad, but you know what? It's a sad story.

* * *

Hermione needed a cure. Hermione needed a stress reliever. Hermione needed a drink

But she was forced to settle for loud music.

She'd left Draco asleep in his own room and gone to hers, locking the door tightly behind her. She had no wish to speak to him now, as it would only complicate matters. Hermione didn't believe yet that Draco truly wanted to fight on Dumbledore's side. Desperately, she wanted to be with him. But what was the point of falling for someone only to lose them? Why wasn't life fair to her? She was doomed from the beginning, she assumed. She'd been an oddball at her former schools, she was the mudblood here. Doomed, completely. Doomed to fall in love with her greatest enemy.

A year ago she would have laughed in the face of anyone who could tell her she'd fall for Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy, who for years had tortured the poor girl into tears. And then, he changed.

_This is what I brought you_

_This you can keep_

_This is what I brought_

_You may forget me._

As she looked back, it wasn't as drastic as it seemed. He'd come back from summer holidays with a new attitude. He was quiet, reserved and, well, nice. He'd held the compartment door open for her. She remembered her suspicions only growing. He'd teased her, in a playful way, never once bringing up her blood. He began talking to her when they were out on rounds. Telling her a little about him, content to walk with her in silence at times.

So they found refuge in each other. When school or Ron and Harry got too stressful she'd curl up in the common room. When pressure from his father or when he was simply bored, he'd pull a big chair over to the window and watch the show. She remembered seeing him like that once.

"_Why do you do that?" she asked him._

"_What?" His long fingers were folded in front of him as he played commander over a fleet of snowballers._

"_Sit at the window like that? Watch everything?"_

"_It calms me. It's real, I mean. But I'm outside of it. I'd rather be on the outside."_

"_That's silly." She pulled another chair beside him, and curled up with a book._

"_We can't all be brave Gryffindors. Some of us would be happy not being noticed."_

"_It isn't about being noticed, it's about doing what's right."_

"_Many wizards have been noticed, and not for being right."_

"_And what kind of wizard are you?" she ventured, somewhat concerned about his reply._

"_I'm working on it," he threw her a smirk._

_I promise to depart_

_Just promise one thing_

_Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep._

Why did he have to be so honest? Everything would have stayed simple had he continued being mean to her. After that day they became closer. He shared more and more with her, even touching Lucius territory. It scared her, to learn about the past Draco endured. But it was his future that terrified her.

"_I'm supposed to get the Dark Mark soon. During Christmas break." He was back at the window, a letter clamped tightly in his shaking hand._

"_Malfoy…" she began._

"_Don't!" It was the first time in nearly four months that he'd raised his voice to her. "Don't call me that! I don't want to be a Malfoy."_

"_Draco…" it was the first time she'd said his name to his face._

"_I'm sorry," he replied, a bit lame. "I just don't know what to do."_

_She looked him dead in the eye._

"_What's right."_

But he hadn't. He'd returned after Christmas with the Dark Mark on his forearm. He'd hidden it well, for a while. Until they sat at the same window and it seared a warning. He'd collapsed with the pain, Hermione instantly jumped to his side. He grasped his arm tightly, tears nearly leaking out of his silver eyes. Hermione sat back. Draco looked up.

"_You didn't…"_

"_Hermione, please," he begged._

"_Why?"_

"_Because he would have killed me."_

_She knew her only reply would be to tell him she loved him, so she used someone else's words._

"_Then you should have died."_

She broke his heart that night.

_This is what I brought you _

_This you can keep_

_This is what I brought _

_You may forget me._

She didn't speak to him again until nearly February. It was Valentine's Day, and Hermione had shut herself in her room. After peeking out and seeing that there wasn't any blond boys running around, she crept into the common room to gaze out the window. It was open, and Draco was leaning halfway out of it.

"_Draco!" she yelled, rushing to him. "Don't! Stop, what are you doing?"_

_He gave her a confused look._

"_It's Potter and Little Weasley," he pointed straight down to the two snogging._

"_Oh," she replied, turned on her heel and stomped back towards her room._

_He grabbed her arm._

"_I know you hate me, but let me get this out." He started. "When I got home for Christmas there was a party. I didn't know it then but it was my initiation. My father asked if I was ready for my present, and with Christmas on my mind I didn't think much of it. I was taken to Him, Voldemort. I was branded. If I had attempted to flee I would have been killed. And I couldn't have that happen. _

"_I've gotten to like you a lot Hermione, I just wanted you to know that. I expect things will start happening. I'm going to remember every nice thing you've done for me. You're truly the greatest person I've ever met."_

_And he'd turned and walked away._

_I promise you my heart_

_Just promise to sing_

_Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep._

Hermione had planned their date that night with help fromGinny. She wanted Draco to think that she'd never liked him. She wanted to make herself think that she'd never liked him. But if she could manage to make him admit his feelings, maybe they'd be okay.

Boy, that blew up in her face.

Draco woke up slowly, the past day a blur to him. He remembered running in the rain, and then pancakes…and then it was foggy. A loud thumping worsened his headache. Granger was listening to music. He listened intentlyfor the words, hoping for some kind of sign. He heard the words, and hoped the sign was wrong.

_This is what I thought_

_I thought you'd need me_

_This is what I thought_

_So think me naïve_

_I promise you a heart_

_You promise to keep_

_Kiss my eyes and lay me to sleep._

* * *

Everyone cry now! Oh, and review. 


	12. Lies Make It Better

Draco trudged out of his dorm, his robe haphazardly covering his thin frame. He pressed his ear against Hermione's door. The music had stopped; he wondered how she even got it to play. There was a knock at the common room door. Malfoy opened it.

"Haha, you're all pale and thin. Kind of like a real ferret," Ginny smiled at him.

"What do you want?"

"Not very friendly…I wanted to see if you were alright. That Love Potion probably kicked you pretty hard."

"Love Potion?" Draco asked confused. "Who took a Love Potion?"

"You did, Pansy slipped it in your pancakes. You came after Blaise because he was trying to give you the antidote. Hermione stunned you. Fred and George warned Hermione that you'd be _extremely_ honest after you took the antidote, so Hermione ran off. She thought you'd say you didn't really like her. So she brought you up here…and now…" Ginny used a single breath for her entire sentence.

"She's either asleep, or she's listening to us."

Malfoy ushered Ginny outside the portrait hole.

"Don't forget you're just wearing a robe. Green silk, huh? Why am I not surprised?"

"What can I do, Ginny?"

"I don't know, maybe black. Or silver, that'd bring out your eyes really well." She pulled on the sleeve of his robe, squinting her eyes to imagine a different color.

He slapped her hand away. "About _Hermione_, Red. What can I do about Hermione?"

"Oh, give up. It's over. She probably hates you." She turned and walked away.

"_WOMEN!_" Draco said vehemently.

"Hey, man. Nice robe." Blaise strolled up, his arm wrapped casually around Luna.

"Well isn't that just bloody fantastic. I start this inter-house dating thing and you, of all people, get the pay off. Bloody brilliant." Malfoy groaned.

"Well, get in there and tell her you like her!"

"I don't like her!"

The portrait opened as Hermione was going down to breakfast. She caught the end of Malfoy's sentence and took off running. He made to chase after her, but Blaise grabbed him.

"Stop, Draco, listen. Stop!"

"I've gotta go after her! She didn't understand! I love her, Blaise!"

"I know, man. But right now you're in a robe and boxers."

Draco gave himself the once over.

"Oh, yeah."

* * *

Hermione had disappeared for the day. Draco suspected she was hiding out in the Gryffindor Common Room, as Harry and Ron had been throwing him scathing looks through all their classes.

He didn't understand why life was so unfair to him. He'd done everything he could think of. He'd been completely honest, showing her his Mark. He'd listened to her…talked to her. He'd even kissed her! What more was the girl looking for?  
He must have spoken out loud because Luna answered him.

"Proof."

"What?" He asked.

It was break and they were gathered around a tree outside. The year was almost over, and Draco had accomplished nothing of importance. Nothing with Hermione, that is.

"She wants proof that you want to be with her."

"And how am I supposed to prove that? Does she want me to hang a bloody sign out the window?"

"I think that's an idea." Said Harry, striding up to the group. "Look, Malfoy. I don't like you; in fact, I can't really say that I ever will. But Hermione's found something worthwhile in you. I'd kill you dead right now…but she said you didn't really want to be a Death Eater."

"The proof she wants is to trust you. She's not sure whose side you're on, so you've gotta show her that you're on her side." Ginny chimed in. "Everyone knows the war is starting. You've got to show her before its too late."

"Well, school ends next week. I'd say we're out of time."

"Then I suggest you hurry."

* * *

Malfoy breezed into his common room, throwing himself on the couch without glancing at it.

"Get off!" said a voice beneath him.

"Oh god! I'm sorry, I wasn't looking!" Draco sat up as if he'd been burned, then he changed his mind and laid down on her.

"Now that I've got you where I want you," he said, raising his brows. "I think it's time you listened to me."

"Not interested."

"Oh, but I know you are. You care, Hermione. So, listen. I've been a double agent for a while now. I've been feeding information to Dumbledore. I'm in the Order of the Phoenix. I know all about it, Hermione. Sirius Black was Harry's godfather, Order headquarters are in his house."

Hermione let out a gasp of surprise.

"See, I'm one of the good guys. But…this is really hard for me to say…I can't be with you."

Hermione felt the tears well in her eyes.

"It's not you, it's me, really. It's not a good idea for me to be involved with anyone when I'm in this deep. You understand? They'd probably end up using you." He said, with too much ease.

He sat up off her.

"So, this whole thing was fun. Thanks for listening to me; it really helped me make a decision." He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be seeing you, Granger."

Heleft silently.

Hating himself for every word.


	13. Fair Enough

Alright! To all my rabid readers, this is semi-officially the last chapter. But if it's too terribly short and too terribly confusing...I can be convinced to write a final, FINAL chapter. ENJOY!

* * *

"Malfoy," said Hermione Granger, walking into Draco's room and jumping onto the bed.

"Come on in," he said. He turned around revealing his light blue jeans and white shirt. Hermione took a moment to drink him in.

"Are you wearing…_white?_" she asked.

"Got a date."

Her heart broke. After everything they'd decided he went out and got a date.

"Don't," she began. "Don't you think you should study? Exams aren't too far away."

"I'll be alright," he grabbed a bag and walked out of the room.

She stopped herself from asking who his date was with. Jealousy erupted in her chest; she fought the urge to cry. She walked with him down to the entrance hall, pretending she was headed for the library.

Crabbe stood at the door.

"She's headed down there," he said. Giving Malfoy the thumbs up.

He gave Hermione a small nod; she forgot to thank him…for nothing!

She sat down on the front steps and watched him walk away.

She waited for him to turn around and tell her it was all a joke.

And she waited.

And waited….

He disappeared into the forest.

* * *

If there was ever a time in her life when she felt like running away more, this would be it. She took off like a stag, racing over the pebbles on the beach. The giant squid gave her a small wave, but her eyes were too blurred with tears to notice. She tripped briefly, tearing a hole in her favorite jeans and scraping her leg. Hermione hauled into the forest, cutting her way through the trees, without the aid of her wand. Her cheeks were cut and stinging when she halted abruptly.

Draco was standing on the other side of the river…watching her.

She looked at him.

He looked at her.

"Took you long enough."

"I'm not your bloody date, Malfoy." She said angrily.

"I know, Granger."

"Too bad she bailed."

"She didn't." Hermione looked around.

"Prat," she said quietly.

"Yeah, I am."

He stepped aside, revealing a picnic that was set up.

"Hermione…" he began but she cut him off.

"You think this is funny? I hurt myself trying to get away from you. All you've ever done is hurt me!" She spoke the truth but couldn't help moving closer to him. He stood, ready for the strike he was sure was on his way. "I tried to be nice, and you were a jerk. I tried to be with you, and you were a prat. I forgave you and you got another date. I hate you, Draco Malfoy."

Draco looked up, his eyes sparkling.

"But I love you."

"Fair enough," she said sitting down on the blanket and grabbing a glass.


	14. Name's Malfoy

Alright! I made another chapter. If you guys totally hate it and hate where it's going then tell me to stop. But if you're interested I suppose I could squeeze a few more chapters in.

* * *

"That's it?" Draco asked, expecting a fight out of Hermione.

She gave him a crooked smile while she tore into a piece of toast. "Fist tas fummi."

"What?" Draco was slightly amazed at her behavior.

"This tastes funny," she clarified.

"Oh, well there's Love Potion in it."

"WHAT!" Hermione screamed, throwing the toast at him.

"I'm only joking." Draco looked over her shoulder. "Don't look around, it'll be obvious. But I believe we have an audience."

"Oh yeah?" Hermione asked, smiling.

* * *

"OUCH!" whispered Ginny. "Harry, you're on my foot."

"Sorry," he whispered back. "Move over, Ron!"

"I'll kill him!" Ron said, loudly.

"SHH!" The couple turned, furious.

"Hey, where'd they go?"

* * *

Hermione collapsed into the cool grass near Hagrid's hut.

"Face it, Draco, you're fast but not fast enough."

"As far as I know fast isn't always a good thing," he gave her a mischievous smirk.

"Excuse me?" She glared at him.

"With studying…duh." The gleam hadn't left his eyes. "The slower the better."

Hermione stared.

"Get your head out of the gutter, Granger."

* * *

"We've gotta follow them!"

"We aren't taking you, you big oaf! You'll just get us caught!"

"Like they didn't already know we were there, Gin."

"Shut up, Potter."

"Not very friendly."

* * *

Draco moved closer to Hermione, both lay looking up at the clouds.

"I meant it, you know."

"That you love me?"

"Well, sure. But the other stuff too…the risk stuff."

"Sometimes it's worth the risks," she quoted.

"Hermione…" he took her small hand in his. "I love you, I do. More than you probably realize, or want to, because it's all a bit strange to me. It's just, if something were to happen to us…_because_ of us. I couldn't deal with that."

"What are you saying?"

"You know what I'm saying."

"Draco, don't." She paused, fighting the tears. "Let's just take it slow, and see how things work out. Maybe nothing will happen with the war."

"Hermione…please. Look, you know how hard this is for me…"

"Really?" she cut in suspiciously. "Because you seem just fine with it."

"What are you saying?"

"You finally have me where you want me…and you're dumping me? What's going on?"

"Nothing," Draco couldn't look at her.

"Answer me."

"Answer me," Draco shot back. "Hermione…do you love me?"

"You know the answer to that."

"Please, please Hermione. I need to hear it."

"Draco…" Hermione shut her eyes tightly. "I love you."

He smirked.

"Alright, alright." A tall boy strode out of the forest. Theodore Nott. "Fifty galleons to Mr. Malfoy."

* * *

Draco stood up and began walking away with Nott. He turned to look at Hermione again.

"By the way, Mudblood. The name's Malfoy."

"Was it worth it?" Nott asked Malfoy as the entered the castle. "I was a little suspicious why you made the bet, but I guess it was in the bag for you, huh? All hail Malfoy, let no girl detest him!"

"It didn't work, Nott. I don't want your money. I should have never made that bet."

"What are you on about? That's fifty galleons!"

"Keep it," Draco stormed towards his room.

"I wasn't supposed to fall in love with her too," he whispered to himself.


	15. Lost

I know! You all hate me now. But this will all work out, I promise. So if you hate the new parts, just stop reading where it got stupid. And if you love the new parts...well, here's some more!

* * *

Draco woke up slowly, he reached over to touch the empty sheets next to him. He was pretty sure something was supposed to be there, but he couldn't remember what. He turned on his bedside light, knocking over a small pouch. The pouch burst on the ground and the ringing of galleons on stone filled the air. He let out a breath. His stomach filled with lead as he remembered yesterday's events. He knew deep down he shouldn't have taken the galleons…but technically he had won.

_Won what? _He asked himself. _Not Hermione._

He tried remembering where he was. _The Slytherin dorms._ He'd taken refuge there after the portrait in front of his and Hermione's dorm wouldn't let him enter. He figured the password would be along the lines of "Draco Malfoy is an arse," but he figured he'd let her be.

The common room and the corridor beyond were both deserted but he could hear the murmur of a hundred voices as he neared the Great Hall. The doors were left wide open, Draco immediately searched the Gryffindor table for Hermione's dark hair, but he didn't see it. He headed for the Slytherin's.

"Hey," he said as he moved toward the open bench beside Blaise.

"Sorry," said Blaise not looking up. "Spot taken."

"By who?"

"Bugger off," Blaise raised his angry eyes to Draco.

"I take it you heard."

"You're bloody barmy, Malfoy. Running with Theo Nott? We all thought you didn't want to follow in daddy's footsteps." Crabbe chimed in.

"You're all mad at me because I'm _not_ in love with Hermione Granger?" Draco asked.

"You know what," Goyle stood up, getting into Draco's face. "One, you are in love with her. Two, she deserves _much_ better than you. And three, you better get out of here before you're really sorry."

Draco rolled his eyes and moved further down the table. He realized people were avoiding his gaze, but the people who's eyes he did meet looked very angry. Finally he reached who he was looking for.

"Pansy," he said quietly.

"What?"

"Can I sit down?"

"Nope."

Draco slowly realized what the days ahead could hold.

* * *

He marched toward his dorm room, dodging various hexes and nasty looks. As he neared them, he realized that two people were sitting right outside the portrait. Two people with very red hair, and very unfriendly looks.

"Get lost." Ginny said, not glancing up.

"I just want my stuff," Draco tried to move past them.

"It's outside."

"What's it doing out there!"

"I believe Hermione threw it out the window." Ron answered.

"No, that was me," Ginny said, blushing.

The portrait eased open behind them, Hermione crawled out. She gave Ginny and Ron looks of confusion, then spotted Draco.

"Hermione," he began.

"_Malfoy,"_ she answered with loathing.

"It's Draco, you know."

"No, you made it very clear what your name was," Hermione answered. "You guys, I really don't need a guard. He can't hurt me."

She heaved her bag up on her shoulder and started toward the library. Draco followed her and took a seat across from her, never once trying to speak. He calculated her distant expression. The way she brushed her fringe back, only to have it fall back into place. How she held her quill, or how she bit the side of her lip while she thought. She'd glance up at him every once in a while. Waiting for him to speak, but he never did. Soon, the sun was sinking into the horizon.

Hermione watched him watching her. How his eyes roamed her face, never once straying. How he looked almost apprehensive when they made eye contact. The way the golden rays made him glow. Finally, he broke the silence.

"You know, you aren't nearly as mad at me as you should be."

"Hmm," was her distant reply.

"You should hate me. You should curse me. You should get your friends to beat me up. I'd let them you know. I'd let you curse me too, I'd let your friends beat me till I can't bleed anymore. I'd let you hate me, if it'd prove how much I love you."

"Oh," she said absentmindedly.

He was ranting again, more to himself than her now.

"I understand why I made the bet with Nott. I wanted you to want me, Granger. So I made us become friends. I was nice, I know you think it was an act, but it wasn't. See, I thought I had it all planned out. I thought I had you right where I wanted you, but I think it was you who had me the whole time.

"When I took that unicorn hair…all I could think about was you. The Weasley's said it makes you pure right? Pure thoughts and all I could think about was you."

Hermione shut her book, packed up her things and began walking back toward her room.

"I wanted you to be mine since the first time I saw you on the train. But I had to pretend to hate you. I'm sorry, Hermione, for everything I ever said to you."

He followed her up to the portrait. He didn't wait for replies, because he didn't expect any.

"I was a prat. I guess we all are when we want something so badly. Ends of the earth, that's where I'd go for you. I see that now. I didn't think everyone would hate me for what I did. But they do…everyone hates me. And that's okay. But Hermione, if there's anything I can do…to make this okay…just tell me."

"Draco," she finally spoke from just inside the portrait. "You can get lost." And she slammed the door.


	16. Comforting Companions

Draco was stunned. He was pretty sure that wasn't the way their story was supposed to end. In fact, if it were his story, they'd be snogging in the common room right now. He couldn't decide which hurt the most. That he'd made the bet and she'd found out about it, or that he'd lost the bet…perhaps it was that he'd lost Hermione.

No, he'd lost himself.

"You shouldn't antagonize her, Malfoy. She'd blow you up as soon as look at you," a shadow spoke.

"Blaise?" Malfoy asked the dark.

"I'm going to ignore that," Harry stepped forward. "You screwed up, Malfoy."

"Did not!" Malfoy sneered right back. "I didn't screw up. I did exactly what everyone would have expected of me. I lied, I did bad things…I, uh, well…I lied some more. And, and I won money."

"And how does that make you feel?" Harry asked, playing therapist.

"Lost," Malfoy answered.

"Where did you screw up?" Harry sat down against the wall. Malfoy followed suit.

"Well, two places really. First, making the bet, obviously. I found one thing that really mattered to me and lost it because I'm a selfish prat."

"And the other?"

"Falling in love, Potter! It's terrible. There's this…_feeling_," he spat the word. "It hurts, it hurts so bloody much that I can barely breathe. I don't know what to do when she's not around. I mean, I was fine before, you know? Before I really knew her."

Harry nodded in understanding.

"And then I had to go and fall in love with her. And mind you, it isn't puppy-love. This is that all-consuming, powerful, horrible love that tears you apart because deep down, deep down I know it's never going to work."

Malfoy forgot Harry was listening intently. Harry listened intently while Malfoy blundered on. And Malfoy, as per usual, blundered on.

"She's everything, Potter. I hate you."

"What?" Harry turned to look at him.

"Six years, you've had six years with this amazing person and you never even threw her a second glance."

"It was never like that between us, Malfoy. In the back of my mind, I think it was always Ginny. Even when I had that thing with Cho."

"Thing? Is that what you're calling it? Because I call it snogging in the Room of Requirement."

"How does everyone bloody know about that!" Harry sighed, holding his hands to his face. "Back to you."

"How are things with you and Red?" Malfoy asked suddenly.

"Uh, pathetic right now, actually."

"And how does that make you feel?" Draco mimicked.

"Pathetic," Harry said again. "Back to you, _Malfoy_."

"Tell me what to do, Potter?" Malfoy pleaded. "What's going to bring her back? What can I do to show her I'm not really a bad person?"

"You are a bad person," Harry said.

"That's not really the point."

* * *

Hermione pressed her back into the portrait, she was trying to restrain her tears but failing desperately to do so.

"Hi," said a quiet voice from the couch.

"Ginny?"

"Yup," Ginny uncurled herself so that Hermione could sit down next to her. As Hermione did, Ginny handed her a box of tissues and a piece of chocolate. "Problems?"

"Yes, you?"

"Yes. You first," Ginny commanded.

"Malfoy," Hermione stated simply. "I'm so crazy about the arse that I can't even think straight enough to hate him. Your turn."

"I saw Harry in the halls today…talking to Cho."

Hermione gasped, "No!"

"Yes."

"And?"

"She kissed him on the cheek."

"And?"

"He didn't push her away."

* * *

"Come on, Potter. You help me, I'll help you. It'll be one of those alliances that we'll only keep until we're both happy. Then we can go back to being awful." Malfoy laughed. "What's your problem?"

"Today I was leaving History of Magic and I'd forgotten my book. I'd left to group to go and get it and when I left the room, Cho was just getting to class. She stopped to say hi and we talked for a minute. Well, Ginny came around the corner, but I didn't notice. Out of nowhere, Cho tells me that she still thinks of me quite a bit and would like to give things another go. I stood there shocked, she kisses me on the cheek and runs into class. I unfreeze just in time to notice a seriously ticked-off redhead and I was late to class."

"Which class?" Malfoy asked.

"Potions."

"Ouch."

"So now, Ginny won't even talk to me. According to Luna I was supposed to beat Cho to the ground, I guess."

"Violent."

"Very. Any ideas?"

"I'm working on it."

"It gets worse…" Harry started again.

* * *

"He didn't push her away!"

"No! He just let it happen. He stood there mumbling something to himself before even noticing that I was right in front of him. Then, then do you want to know what he did!"

* * *

"I called her Cho."

Malfoy stopped and turned to Harry. "No."

"Yeah, yeah. I called my red-head, beautiful girlfriend…Cho."

"Well, I'd suggest selling your soul to get you out of this one, but that's probably Ginny's anyway."

* * *

"Cho?" Hermione frowned. "He called _you_ Cho?"

"Right to my face!"

"What did you do?" Hermione asked, forgetting her problems for a minute.

"I was completely mature, Hermione."

* * *

"Then! She stomps on my foot, kicks me in the shin and throws an ink bottle at me!"

"I wondered why you're hair looked funny." Malfoy said. "I'm beginning to wonder if we even deserve these girls."

"Of course we don't! Why the hell would we be good enough for them? Particularly you," Harry said, punching Malfoy's arm.

"Hey, I never called her by someone else's name."

"That," Harry mocked. "Is not the point."

* * *

"I wondered why his hair looked funny," Hermione said. Ginny grinned slightly through her tears. "So, what then?"

"Well, it's over obviously."

"Because of that?"

"What could be worse that that?!" Ginny cried out, then blushed furiously at her mistake. "Something along the lines of getting made in to a bet, I would imagine?"

"Nothing could hurt worse."

"I bet I could think of something."

"Give it a go," Hermione agreed.

"Getting ripped apart by a hippogriff?" Hermione shook her head. "Having dinner with Snape?" Hermione gave it a moment's thought then shook her head. "Falling off the astronomy tower?"

"Close, but you're going to have to do better than that."

"How about, finding someone so unbelievably perfect for you. Then getting caught up in a stupid game that you thought for sure that you were going to win." Ginny smiled. "And then, they have to sit and watch the person that they love get away all because they were to daft to realize that, maybe, just maybe, that person is what they've been waiting for?"

Hermione had started crying again.

"I guess that would be close."

* * *

"I've got an idea, Potter."

"Do tell, it's awfully cold out here."

"Well, we embarrassed them, see? So, the only logical thing to do is…"

"Embarrass ourselves?"

"Right," Draco said downheartedly. "We're going to have to embarrass ourselves."

* * *

"I really like him, Ginny."

"I know you do, that's why you need to talk to him. Not to me about him, but to him."

"I don't want to."

"But you have to."

"I don't want to," Hermione said again.

"What are you five?! Get your arse out there and talk to him!" Ginny snapped.

* * *

"That's your plan? A ruddy poem just because she wrote you on in second year?"

"Yes, that's embarrassing right?"

"Only for her," Malfoy sighed. "You need to embarrass yourself. Think, think of something terrible. Perhaps dressing up like a cupid?"

"No," Harry said at once.

"Oh, so you're saying that never in a million years would you ever dress in a toga, with a bow and arrows to deliver a love poem to Ginny Weasley?"

"Never, ever," Harry clarified.

"Perfect."


	17. Finale

I am an awful person. I put all my fanfiction stories on hold to work on my own original works...and guess how many of those are finished? Yes...zero! But they're coming along nicely. And one of my characters is based on my personal view of Malfoy. So enjoy what is the final chapter of The Date. I feel it sums everything up nicely. And was written in about an hour. ENJOY!

* * *

Graduation morning was suddenly upon them. Neither of the boys had seen hide nor hair of their respective partners. Having realized within the first day that the girls were utilizing the various secret passageways of Hogwarts. And while Draco knew Hermione had practically locked herself in the library to study for finals, he avoided it at all costs. Even resorting to sending younger Slytherin's into the library for him.

Harry was just as miserable, praying that a week of planning would pay off for him. He knew Ginny had a temper and she was stubborn as a bull moose. He was also sure, however, that she would eventually forgive him, a week was pushing it though. Terrified that he may have lost her for real, Harry put everything he had into a last ditch effort to make Ginny Weasley his.

Draco met him outside the Great Hall doors. Harry hugged the robe tighter around him and pleaded with Draco.

"Really? Is this what it's come down to?" Harry asked. "I have better things to do, like fight with Voldemort."

"You can't really do that until after graduation, so you may as well do something to pass the time."

"Can I just say it?"

"How would that be funny?"

Harry glared at him. "You still haven't told me what you're going to do."

"I'm going to turn my back on everything I know in the hopes that one girl, who has every reason to curse me into oblivion, will consent to be with me forever. Which could be a week depended on the war."

"Neither of you is going to die, Malfoy, don't even think it."

"What if?"

Harry steeled himself and put his hand on the door, "Then make it a hell of a week."

Harry's senses were on high alert. The door creaking open, he was sure, was the loudest sound he had ever heard. But seconds later, as every head in the Great Hall turned to look at him, he realized there was nothing louder than pure and absolute silence.

Ginny's face shone to him like a beacon, without giving himself time to chicken out, Harry walked toward her. He paused in front of her, but only to offer her a smile. Then, he stepped up on the bench, and then onto the table. He reached his hand out to her, she shook her head.

"Please, Ginny."

"No, I think I'll stay right here if that's alright by you."

Ron appeared suddenly, heaving his sister onto the table before taking her spot.

Harry took a deep breath before locking eyes with her.

"This is all for you, Ginny."

Then to the shock and amazement of everyone in the entire Great Hall, Harry Potter shrugged the cloak off.

Opting out of wearing a diaper, Harry stood in a pair of white boxer shorts. Wrapped across his chest was a quiver of arrows and he held a bow in his hand. He sunk to his knees in front of her.

If any of the teachers had decided to stand up and intervene, they would have found themselves unable, due to being stuck to their seats. Draco put his wand away, and sat back to watch the show.

Harry Potter looked up at Ginny Weasley with nothing but pure adoration in his eyes.

Her hair is so red, it rivals the flame

A heroine at Quidditch, she's queen of the game.

I screwed up, didn't want to part,

She's really divine, I wish she'd be mine,

The little girl who holds my heart.

Ginny glared at him. "Did you write that?" she asked.

"Unfortunately for everyone in this room, yes I did."

"So you think getting undressed in front of everyone in Hogwarts and reciting a poem is supposed to make me forgive you?"

Harry hadn't thought things would go this way, in fact he was certain she was supposed to turn into a weeping pile of goo and hug and kiss him.

"I thought it would be a start."

Ginny looked seriously about the room, knowing if she looked any lower than Harry's neck she was likely to burst into hysterics. Her eyes landed on Cho Chang, who looked simply murderous. Ginny smiled at that.

"It's an excellent start, Mr. Potter."

Then came the kissing.

* * *

Commencement for the graduating seventh years wasn't until seven. Hermione managed to avoid her shared common room for a majority of the day. Taking refuge in visiting Hagrid and running through the Forbidden Forest one last time. But dinner rolled around, and Hermione knew she'd have to return soon.

Her feet lead her there, muttering the password she'd changed back, realizing that Malfoy would need to get his things as well. Until breakfast that morning, she hadn't seen him since she'd told him to get lost. Something she regretted as soon as she'd slammed the portrait.

She'd waited a week. Seven entire days to see if he'd do anything, offer her some sign that he was sorry or that he was planning to fix this. But as she entered the common room, she was horrified to find his things were all packed and neatly organized near the fireplace, where the House Elves would collect them.

He had his back to her, staring out the window as per usual. She thought about saying something, anything. But instead she bit her tongue, and went to pack.

It took all of ten minutes by magic. And considering that she wasn't a superficial girl, getting showered and ready for the ceremony still gave her thirty minutes to kill before she had to leave. Levitating her belongings, she nervously headed to the common room.

He was still at the window, he didn't look at her.

She sat down in her chair, suddenly not caring if her robes were wrinkled. She hoped she'd look awful so she felt somewhat below him. It would give clarity to their situation. If he could just be the bigoted prat that he had been before, if she had never seen the good in him, she could still pretend that he was awful.

He moved suddenly, shifted and stood. "You ready?" he knew they still had twenty minutes.

The tension that had been brewing the last week, the last year, suddenly snapped. She looked up at him, unbelieving.

"That's it?" she asked him.

"What's it?" he asked, confused. And amazed that she spoke to him.

"We're just going to graduate."

"That's the point of graduation, to graduate. Leave. Go away."

She let out a dry laugh, bordering on a sob. "I…I thought…"

"What did you think, Granger?"

Hermione stood and walked to his place at the window. Her hands rose to press against the warm glass. "It doesn't matter."

"Tell me?" he had no right to ask anything from her, but he had to know.

"I thought…after Harry's…show today. I thought maybe you had something planned too. Something to prove…prove something. It doesn't matter."

"Hermione…I didn't…there's nothing I can do, is there?" he said quietly. "I could buy you jewels but you wouldn't take them. I could offer you words, but you wouldn't believe them. I could give you myself but you'd always wonder if there was an ulterior motive. I've lost you and I have to deal with it."

She snapped again, to anger this time, supernovas would have been jealous of the anger which possessed Hermione Granger.

"You didn't even try!" she shouted at him. Her balled fist pounded against the glass, shattering it. "You told me to be mad at you! You told me to hate you and curse you! You didn't explain or try to make it okay!"

"Will you just wait…" he looked worriedly at her bleeding hands. She moved toward him, to walk past him, he grabbed her. Her fist reared back again, catching him across the jaw. Her blood smeared across his cheek.

"Nothing! That's what I should have expected from you, isn't it? Absolutely nothing!" She stalled at the portrait. "You didn't lose me then, Malfoy. But you did just now."

The chairs were set up next to the Black Lake and the students sat in alphabetical order. Sparkling the grass with reds, yellows, blues and green. Draco and Hermione sat side by side on the stage with Dumbledore and the rest of the teachers.

The diploma's were handed out, speeches were made, except for one.

Draco stood to give the farewell address to the students. It was to be a culmination of everything they'd been through together, he figured. That wasn't what he planned to talk about, of course, but it was nice to know which rules he was breaking.

His parents were not in attendance. But his speech was going to be all over the Prophet by morning. Hermione knew what he was going to say, and decided to tune him out. After all, she'd found a copy of his rule-abiding speech in the common room.

Or what she was supposed to think was his speech.

"Seven years. It seemed like eternity when I took my first steps on the Hogwarts Express. At eleven, seventeen seems ages away. The idea that I'd be leaving someday never crossed my mind. But the years flew by, as they do when you're not watching carefully. And the carefully constructed walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry fell down.

"We've been through Quidditch cups and Slytherin's heir. We saw the escape of a murderer, and saw his name cleared. We saw Voldemort return. We watched friends fall, and hoped that ours weren't next. Some of us have been close to the battle than others, and some will become closer still, but it will touch us all."

Draco took a deep breath.

"But I don't want to warn you of the danger. I don't want to yammer on about how we should all ban together and fight the fight. You've heard it. You know it. We'll do it, because the walls are down now and we're all in this together."

Hermione was listening now, this wasn't what she'd read.

"You think…you think you know everything when you're as old as we are. And you think you've got forever, but you don't. The war is upon us and there will be losses. But there will not be regrets. Think back a week, a month, maybe even years. What was your biggest regret at Hogwarts? Fix it. I'm challenging you, class, to find your greatest regret. Maybe it's a test, maybe something you said, maybe something you did to hurt someone else, find them. Apologize. Don't leave here wondering what could have happened, don't spend the rest of your lives (however long you have) in any sort of unhappiness or anger. Fix your life."

He turned then, to stare at Hermione.

"I know what my biggest regret will be if I don't deal with it now. So don't let Draco Malfoy do something you're afraid to do, fix things, apologize." he walked over to her slowly and tugged her hand. His voice remained magnified. "Hermione Granger, I love you. I've been entranced by you since first year and it's only gotten more intense this last year. Being so close to you, being able to call you my friend was the most important thing in my world. And then I found out you wanted me too.

"I got scared. I couldn't let myself be happy, I couldn't let myself just do something…for myself. I tricked Theo into making a bet, the biggest mistake of my life and one I'm rectifying now. I kept the money," he pulled out the same bag and put it in her hand. There definitely weren't fifty galleons in it. "And I spent it on something."

He sank to one knee.

"B-but…" her eyes went wide.

He laughed. "I already asked your father."

"Draco…"

"Hermione Granger, I thought I was happy. I was rich, handsome and had the world at my fingertips. And then I found you. And now, I would, and I am, giving it all up for you. As long as you're in my life, I have all that I need. I'm asking you, no. I'm begging you to marry me, to be mine forever and beyond because I cannot go another day without you in my life. And just knowing you're in the world isn't good enough anymore, you have to let me be yours." He shook the ring out of the bag and into her hand. It was up to her now.

Draco forgot how to breathe.

Hermione gasped at the ring. It was petite and perfect for her slim hand. White and pink gold with three small diamonds. She tried it on.

"You did have a plan…when did you buy this?"

"A week ago."

"And you waited…"

"I wanted to make sure you were just as miserable without me as I was without you."

"And?"

"Say yes, and you won't have to be miserable ever again."

"Then I guess I have to say yes."

"You don't have to say anything," he said, standing and pulling her to him.

"How about 'yes'?" Hermione smirked.

"Fair enough."

The roar of cheers that shook the grounds put Quidditch games to shame. The students, parents, even the faculty cheered.

Hermione and Draco were married three days later in a small chapel. They lived everyday as if it were their last. Harry Potter won the Great War on the grounds of Hogwarts herself. And though some were lost in the battle, many more were saved.

* * *

Ginny Potter and her husband Harry live near the Burrow. Their children are nine and seven. And Ginny tells them of their fathers greatest achievement whenever she gets the opportunity. Not defeating Voldemort, but dressing up like Cupid and winning her heart.

Luna Zambini and her husband Blaise live in London. Gregory Goyle and Pansy began keeping in touch after their fifth year school reunion, no one could be happier for them than Draco. Vincent Crabbe took over his fathers Apothecary and has yet to settle down.

Ron Weasley brought the Chudley Cannons out of their losing streak and won his way into the hearts of teenage witches everywhere.

Hermione Malfoy and her husband Draco live in a modest house near the Burrow as well. They have three children, all attending Hogwarts now. They're all in Gryffindor. Hermione kisses his marred forearm every day, to remind him of the risks he took to bring their family together. They'll be celebrating their twentieth anniversary.


End file.
